Begonia plant named ‘Leonie’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant named ‘Leonie’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; double red-colored flowers with pale yellow centers that are held above the foliage; and excellent postproduction longevity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begoniaplant, botanically known as Begonia×hiemalis, commercially known asElatior Begonia, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Leonie’.

The new Begonia was discovered by the Inventor in a controlledenvironment in Glandorf, Germany, September, 1999, as anaturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begonia×hiemalis ‘Peggy’,disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/641,717. The newBegonia was observed as a single plant in a group of flowering plants ofthe parent cultivar. The selection of this plant was based on its uniqueflower coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia by cuttings taken in acontrolled environment in Glandorf, Germany, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Begonia are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘Leonie’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Leonie’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Leonie’ as a new and distinct Begonia:

1. Compact and upright plant habit.

2. Double red-covered flowers with pale yellow centers that are heldabove the foliage.

3. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new cultivar are most similar to plants of the parentcultivar. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor inGlandorf, Germany, plants of the new Begonia differ from plants of thecultivar Peggy primarily in flower color as plants of the new Begoniahave red-colored flowers with pale yellow centers whereas plants of thecultivar Peggy have dark pink and light yellow bi-colored flowers. Inaddition, plants of the new cultivar have thicker leaves, largerflowers, and leaf petioles that are more pubescent than plants of thecultivar Peggy.

Plants of the new cultivar differ primarily from plants of the cultivar01/2, U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/911,441, in flower coloras plants of the new cultivar have red-colored flowers with pale yellowcenters whereas plants of the cultivar 01/2 have dark red-coloredflowers with pale yellow centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Begonia, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Begonia.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Leonie’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers and leaves of ‘Leonie’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe plants grown in Glandorf, Germany, undercommercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse. Average day and nighttemperatures were 20° C. during the first three to four weeks thenlowered to an average day and night temperature of 19° C. untilflowering. Four weeks after planting in 13-cm containers, one week oflong nyctoperiods of 16 hours were given followed by short nyctoperiodsof eight hours until flowering. Plants used for the photographs and thedescription were about four months old. Measurements and numericalvalues represent averages for typical flowering plants.

Botanical classification: Begonia×hiemalis cultivar Leonie.

Commercial classification: Elatior Begonia.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begonia×hiemaliscultivar Peggy, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.09/641,717.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal cuttings.

Time to develop roots.—About 28 days at temperatures of 20° C.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous, well-branched and spreading. Plants ofthe new Begonia have not been observed to form tubers.

Plant description:

Plant form.—Compact; upright potted plant, inverted triangle; freelybranching with good stem and stem base strength. Flowers are double andabundant. Plants flower continuously.

Growth habit.—Moderate growth rate, vigorous. Suitable for 11 to 15-cmcontainers. Under optimal environmental and cultural conditions, usuallyabout 4 months are required to produce proportional 13-cm potted plantsfrom terminal cuttings. About five vegetative shoots are formed at basalnodes and flowering shoots are formed at upper nodes.

Plant height.—About 25.5 cm.

Plant width.—About 28 cm.

Leaves.—Arrangement: Simple, alternate. Length: About 14.5 cm. Width:About 11.5 cm. Shape: Asymmetrical, more or less reniform. Apex:Acuminate. Base: Cordate. Margin: Doubly serrate. Texture: Glabrous;veins, pubescent. Venation pattern: Palmate. Color, young and fullyexpanded leaves: Upper surface: Darker than 147A. Lower surface: 148C,overlain with anthocyanin, 184A. Venation, upper and lower surfaces:148B. Petiole length: About 5.8 cm. Petiole texture: Pubescent. Petiolecolor: 178A.

Flower description:

Flowering habit.—Double flowers with numerous tepals arranged inaxillary cymes. Usually 8 to 10 flowers per cyme. Many cymes in flowersimultaneously. Flowers positioned above the foliage. Floweringcontinuous. Flowers self-cleaning, no fragrance.

Natural flowering season.—Plants will flower year around regardless ofnyctoperiod, however plants flower earlier and more abundantly frommid-February until November in the Northern Hemisphere.

Flowers.—Shape: Rounded. Diameter: About 5.5 cm. Depth (height): About 2cm.

Flower buds.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm. Color: 145C.

Tepals.—Arrangement: Rosette. Shape: Rounded flabellate, broad. Apex:Rounded. Margin, outer and inner tepals: Entire. Quantity per flower:Usually about 30 per flower. Size: Outer tepals: Length: About 3.1 cm.Width: About 3.5 cm. Inner tepals: Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About1.7 cm. Texture: Smooth, satiny, glabrous. Color: When opening: Towardsapex of tepal, 45B; base, 4D; colors bleed together. Fully opened, uppersurface: Towards apex of tepal, 45B; base, 4D; colors bleed together;with subsequent development, tepals mostly 4D. Fully opened, lowersurface: Towards apex of tepal, 48A; base, 4C; colors bleed together;with subsequent development, tepals mostly 4C.

Flower bracts.—Arrangement: Two, opposite. Shape: Cordate. Apex: Acute.Margin: Serrate. Texture: Glabrous. Color, both surfaces: 144A.

Peduncles.—Angle: Erect. Length: About 4 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:147C, overlain with anthocyanin, 184A.

Pedicels.—Angle: Bent. Length: About 2 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color:Close to 145C.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: None observed. Pistils: None observed.

Seed.—Seed production has not been observed as reproductive organs arenot formed.

Postproduction longevity:

Individual flowers.—Generally about 2 to 3 weeks.

Whole plants.—About 6 weeks under interior conditions.

Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common toBegonia has not been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant named‘Leonie’, as illustrated and described.